Martin and Haruko's table

A piece commissioned as a wedding gift.  The couple wanted a coffee table, modest in size, and made of dark wood.

I decided on using wenge, and feel that  its dark colour shows off the elegant lines of this piece.

The legs are cut from very thick stock, and shaping them is very much a subtractive process.  I made the top from one board, carefully matching the grain.

A little aside.  This piece was shipped to Berkely, CA.  Before even starting, research determined there shouldn't be any legal issues. So, after packing it in a sturdy plywood crate, I sent it by UPS.  A few days later, I received a call from US customs.  Because it was made from wenge, it seemed that I might have to complete a mountain of paperwork and applications.  Fortunately, there was a clause which allowed it through.